


Break the Rules

by Daryl_Grimes (Loki_Likey_Thor_Odinson)



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - No Zombie Apocalypse, Alternate Universe - No Zombies, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-12-04
Updated: 2015-12-04
Packaged: 2018-05-04 20:24:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,210
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5347418
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Loki_Likey_Thor_Odinson/pseuds/Daryl_Grimes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Daryl has managed to get into Savannah University by the skin of his teeth, only getting in by his audition tape. </p><p>Finally away from the clutches of his abusive Father and with the help of his roommate, Glenn, Daryl is finally ready to learn who he is.</p><p>But as time goes on, Daryl finds he might not be who he originally thought he was. Can he learn to embrace himself?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Break the Rules

Daryl slowly walked into his dorm room, clutching his bag tightly to his side. College wouldn’t be so bad. His dorm buddy seemed like a good guy – they’d been in contact since they found out who they would be sharing a room with. They’d added each other on Facebook and talked for ages at a time, of course, at first, they’d been shy with each other, but they’d eventually spent ages Skyping, having so much in common. One time, they’d Skyped from 7pm until late – Daryl had gone to bed at 3am, desperately trying to catch some shut eye before his college entrance audition.

Of course, the funding for Daryl’s course had been an issue – a serious issue, but luckily, he’d gotten financial aid with the college and, four months ago, he’d been accepted.

A miracle, considering he’d dropped out of high school and had done nothing but work in the family hunting shop. He didn’t belong here.

In Atlanta, so far away from North Georgia, in a place where kids schooled their way through life on granddaddy’s money, and spent time spending it all in a single transaction.

He was just a redneck, born and bred.  
No one here would like him.

He should go back home. Back home to where Merle would snort and look away when he walked in the door and his Father would laugh in his face when Daryl said where he had been.

_No. No._

His Father had laughed at him enough in life; when he failed 10th grade, when he dropped out of high school. He refused to give him another thing to laugh at. No, he would succeed on this course, he would pass his Performing Arts course, and he’d come out of college and get straight into acting. He didn’t want to go back to that house; he would never have to deal with his Father again.

He’d got into Savannah by the skin of his teeth, barely making it through – hell, he’d even heard them say the only reason he got in was because of his audition – and he’d make the college proud. He’d make good grades; he’d get everything done and in on time, get to classes on time, and make a name for himself.

Daryl smiled, putting his suitcase down and kicking it under his bed before collapsing onto it.

He wasn’t going to screw this up.

xox

Daryl groaned as he felt somebody shake him from side-to-side, eyes weakly opening to a dark dorm.

“Hey. You’re Daryl right?”

He nodded, slowly sitting up.

“Awesome, I’m Glenn. Good to finally meet you face to face.” He smiled brightly. “Thought I better wake you up considering you already slept through classes today.”

“I slept through class?!” Daryl shot to his feet, shaking the remaining sleepiness from his head. “Shit, did the teacher notice?”

“Kind of. But I said you hadn’t moved into the dorm yet and she shrugged it off, saying you must be starting later in the week.”

Daryl breathed a half-sigh of relief, slowly sitting back down on the bed.

“I ordered a pizza.” Glenn nodded at the pizza box on his desk. “I was wondering if you wanted any.”

“Uh.” Daryl’s stomach answered that one for him.

“It’s margarita. I didn’t know what you liked so.”

“Thank ya.” Daryl smiled weakly as the other disappeared to go grab a plate, separating the pizza.

Daryl gladly took the plate with a smile. “Thank ya, really.”

Glenn just nodded and started eating the pizza in hand. Daryl took a soft bite, letting the cheese melt on his tongue. It tasted like wet cardboard – _not ordering from this place, ever_ – but it was the first thing that Daryl had properly eaten for the past few days, and he was almost ravenous.

_Eat like a normal person. Don’t scare Glenn off._

But Glenn was chuckling, eating quickly himself. “You forget to eat too whilst you were packing?”

“God yea, it’s the worst. Yer finish packing something, then realise it’s 2am and you ain’t ate all day.”

“Then its too late to cook because all your family is asleep and you should really get some sleep either way.”

Both boys laughed into their pizzas before Daryl wrinkled his nose at the next bite he took.

“Yea, I was just thinking that this was horrendous.”

“Tell ya what, mah brother and I came down here a few months ago fer a show. We ordered from a good Chinese – how about I order. I’ll pay.”

Glenn glanced at the pizza in his lap before nodding, looking grateful.

“What place was the pizza from?”

“Some Antonio’s or something. Check the box.”

“Write it down. We ain’t never ordering from there again.”

“You can say that again.”

xox

Fed and watered, Daryl moved to tug his suitcase out from underneath his bed. Glenn had unpacked the day before, making sure to leave room for Daryl. Glenn had taken one of the small drawers of the dresser – presumably for his underwear – and then two of the remaining four large ones. Daryl moved to open his own drawers, walking to and from them both with his piles of neatly folded clothes.

“Do you have anything with sleeves, or a jacket?”

“Uh, not really.”

“You’re gonna need them in the winter.”

“There’s a mall nearby. I’ll head out there nearer the time.” _I’m too poor to buy one right now. Need to find a part time job or summit._

Daryl decided finishing that off in his head was probably the better job.

“You can borrow one of my coats if you really need to.”

“Doubt it’ll fit, but thanks.”

Daryl dared to glance over at Glenn, curled up in a long-sleeved pajama jumper and some long-leg bottoms. The jumper was grey, with _Namast’ay in Bed_ written across the chest – Daryl had to stifle a laugh – and the bottoms were dark grey, with what seemed like skulls printed on them, only to be covered by different Batman logo styles.

“I’m a bit of a comic nerd.”

“Each to their own.”

“Didn’t you say you preferred Marvel?”

“I just like the movies. I’m not really a guy to sit and read. I don’t get enough time. Doubt I will with college now either.”

“I do happen to have some _Hawkeye_ and _Daredevil_ comics. Think I might have some _Uncanny X-Men_ and _Iron Man_ around here somewhere. You’re more than welcome to borrow and read them.”

Daryl gave a smile to the teen sitting on the bed, nose in a book.

“What yer reading?”

“ _127 Hours: Between a Rock and a Hard Place_.”

“Ohhhh I remember that movie.”

Both teens nodded a little before Glenn yawned, dog-earring his page and chucking the book onto the bedside cabinet. He turned his lamp off before laying down and turning his back on Daryl.

“Good night, Daryl.”

“Night, Glenn.”

Zipping his suitcase up and putting it back under his bed – he could finish the rest of his packing tomorrow, or at the weekend – Daryl moved to slip his jeans off, making sure to fold them by his bed before stretching and slipping into his own bed.

Tomorrow was going to be a big day, and Daryl was definitely going to see it through.


End file.
